The Death of a Fallen Angel
by Tiani Lunaris
Summary: He didn't want to take the child, but the rules required it. But the one to run his game was not the one to wish for it to happen...
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer and explanation:  
  
Firstly! I do not, how brilliant it might be, own The Labyrinth. Those are the rightful properties of that master mind.  
  
Those characters you won't recognize from the movie, are probably mine, or added out of request from readers and friends. (Yes I do tend to do something like that. Just mail me the characters name, looks and persona, and whether you'd like to decide what his or her fate will be. or if you give me free reigns, which I like as well. Of course .)  
  
That's the Disclaimer part.  
  
This story has been pre-written on paper. Ok 50 % of it is done on paper. I only need to upload it. Which is a major pain in the butt, quite literally. It is painful to sit up to four in the morning and feel your butt has fallen asleep while typing on the laptop. It's painful. Still.  
  
For those who have read the fic "My Sweet Prince" this might be a useful piece of info:  
  
The story of "DoaFA" occurs before any HP related stories of mine. Why? Because the Labby ficcies were written before the Harry Potter ones. And then it is the part of how my brain works. Don't ask, but let's just say that it would make Disneyland seem like the worlds most boring place ever. Hey! Maybe D-land is that for someone? I don't know. I still do have a tendency, as the majority of the young and talented authors on this earth, to have a gazillion ideas at once. Not that the storyline is accurate either! Before they are put in a straight line (or a straint jacket) they jump around and scream at me : "WRITE MORE IN US!!! PLEASE!!!" so that's mainly why they nearly never really get completed.  
  
Enjoy your stay!!  
  
Tiani Lunaris  
  
)O( 


	2. Chapter one

Chapter 1  
  
The golden light illuminated the back yard through the open French windows of the master bedroom.  
  
A bubbling laughter followed a recently begun story, and filled the warm summer night.  
  
"but the girl got so upset with her baby brother crying. What ever she did he just wouldn't stop. So she held him up in front of her and said the words," the little girl said to her giggling sister and stood up. Hoisting her mothers' ball gown up she walked to the open spot between the bed and balcony before acting out the lines as she had done so far. Holding a doll up in front of her she screamed at the child  
  
"Goblin King, Goblin King. Where ever you might be! Take this child away from me!" discarding the doll she returned her attention to the three year old.  
  
"But those weren't the words. Sighing she put him back in the crib and walked over to the door. Not knowing she had been heard she wished for the right words. And they came. You see Lara, there were goblins behind the mirror," she paused as she grinned to the mirror by the door "but they couldn't come and take the boy unless she said the right words. So they made her remember the right words. As she walked out she said them,"  
  
again the girl walked over to the door, and hoisted up the dress, not to trip on it or rip it in any way. Turning in what was supposed to be dramatically, she acted sour,  
  
"I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now" walking back to the three year old she was about to continue the story, but was cut of as the lights went out.  
  
"then the goblins came and got him" she said in a barely audible voice, hugging the baby tightly to prevent the abduction.  
  
Suddenly clawed hands began grabbing for the child, and tore Lara away from her sister.  
  
"NO! DON'T!" screamed the older sister, but it was too later. She was all alone in the king sized bed, and began crying.  
  
The room was silent for a long time before a smooth voice broke it.  
  
"You know where your sister was taken, don't you, Aria?"  
  
The girl jumped and looked up into the face of a tall pale man with masses of blond unryly hair.  
  
"I didn't mean it," she pleaded in a thin voice as large crystalline tears rolled down her red cheeks.  
  
The man sighed, well aware she told the truth. The child had believed the tale of the Labyrinth to be a fairy tale, as most of the youth in that time.  
  
"Do you know who I am?" he asked softly, trying to stop the frightened sobs. The girl nodded.  
  
"You're the king," the sobs had gotten fewer, but she still couldn't speak more than a whisper.  
  
Aria stared at the king with pleading eyes, too embarrassed to say anything. The king saw this, and knew she was a very timid child indeed.  
  
"Please," she said. Her voice was like a thin silver whisp of smoke to him, "I didn't mean it," the whisp faded away and died.  
  
Jareth looked down at the nine year old, and tired hard to find a loop hole in the rules of the Labyrinth.  
  
Neither of them heard the low rumbling out in the front of the house. None of them were aware of the front door opening and closing, or the feet on the stairs. They were both oblivious to the shadow that appeared in the hallway, and it wasn't until a low voice broke the silence.  
  
"Excuse me, but what is going on in here?"  
  
Though startled, Jareth kept his calm exterior, and quirked an eyebrow at the newcomer. The girl however jumped and ran to the woman as she realized who it was.  
  
"Tiani!" was all she said as she jumped into the others arms and hid her face to her shoulder.  
  
"Heey! Shhh." the newcomer, Tiani, tried to soothe the girl and spoke with a calm voice, but Jareth could feel the piercing stare from the shadows.  
  
"What happened Aria?" to the king the words sounded like they floated like rose petals on a warm breeze, enhanced by the scent of her rose perfume. "Where's mum and dad?"  
  
Tiani had moved further in to the room and was now illuminated by the full moon, and the street lights. Though her voice was calm and soothing, he saw her face was like a pale mask of anger.  
  
Locking gazes he could hear her thinking 'Make one false move and no one will be able to recognize your corpse' he nodded to show he had understood the warning.  
  
"Mama and pop is at the hospital. Papa cut his leg again, and wanted to sew it himself, but mama wouldn't let him, and took him to the hospital.  
  
"They let me stay at home and watch Lara, since you were to come home anytime anyway. So I began telling her a bedtime story and" the child buried her face deeper into the folds of the leather jacket,  
  
"and I wished her away"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
AN/: For those of you who already read this and found it interesting, though annoying with the overly compact text. (you have no idea how it irked my bones.)  
  
Any way. Hope you'll like it better now. I'll thank the one who notified me in the last chappy posted so far. Now I have to edit the sh(beeeep)t.  
  
TL  
  
)O( 


	3. Chapter two

Chapter 2  
  
Jareth couldn't decide what was going on inside the womans' head.  
  
She hadn't chanced her expression, or broken her stare. She had closed her mind so he couldn't read any more of her thoughts or emotions. All he really could do was to contain his own thoughts and put on a mask like expression equalling hers.  
  
It wasn't until Arias limp arms fell to her sides that he realised that Tiani had been moving her lips and mumbled something in the childs ear. She had hypnotised the child to fall asleep.  
  
"Wait here," was all she said as she went out with her sister. She came back a couple of minutes later and signalled him to follow her.  
  
Downstairs she led him to the kitchen, and began searching through the kitchen cabinets, found a kettle, filled it with water and placed it on the stove.  
  
"Would you like some coffee or tea?" she asked in a neutral tone, facing him. Choosing tea, he watched her getting the cups, tea-bags, sugar and a box of instant coffee, labelled Espresso. Feeling more and more un nerved from her composed movements he raised an even stronger wall around himself.  
  
She didn't tremble a bit as she had brought him the fine porcelain cup and saucer, she didn't spill a drop of the water or show any signs of worry for her baby sister. She had been abducted by goblins, for crying out loud! Why wasn't she scared to death?  
  
Filling her mug with generous amounts of the instant coffee, and filling it with water after filling his cup. Adding some sugar, she took a careful sip of the hot brew, and pulled a face.  
  
"Blah. Tastes like oil" taking another, more generous sip, Jareth found it hard not to smirk.  
  
"And why do you drink it then?" he inquired.  
  
"Because," she emptied the cup and did another batch, "I wish to get to the bottom of this." Taking a new sip of the second cup she continued; "But after five hours on the road, freezing my butt of in the night air, I wouldn't be much of help in this little predicament. Therefore this," and raised the half full mug. "I am very keen on hearing your side of the story, and not falling asleep in the middle of it," She emptied it, placed it back on the table, pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Jareth leaned back and wrinkled his nose disapprovingly at the sight of the cancer stick.  
  
"Those things will kill you, you know," he said as he crossed his arms over his chest.  
  
"Yeah, so does life, my friend. This is only quicker," she blew out the smoke before adding "or at least for everyone else," in a low voice to her self before raising it again as she continued "But I'm eager to know your side of this little mess. For starters: who the bloody hell are you, and what is your part in it?"  
  
Drawing his breath the king began explaining.  
  
"Well. for starters, I'm Jareth, King of Goblins, and ruler over the Labyrinth and its creatures.  
  
"My part of this "little mess", as you put it, is quite simple: I get the children wished away, keep them until the wisher manages the Labyrinth, which they nearly never do, in which case I keep them and let them live Underground. Not all of them turn into goblins, but we use that as an excuse to deter too many to be wished away. If they manage it, they return home as if it was any other dream."  
  
He relaxed a bit, and let some of the hopelessness surface. She still showed no emotion what so ever.  
  
"When it comes to this case, the goblins on duty heard the words, but failed to see the situation. Aria had only been entertaining the child, with no intention to loose her sister," Sighing he continued.  
  
"I didn't want to take your sister, but the rules require that everyone wished away by the words 'I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now' is to be taken. No matter what." He fell silent as she extinguished the bud and nodded.  
  
"I see. so the only way to get Lara back is for Aria to run the Labyrinth?"  
  
the voice was as calm as before and Jareth nodded. Leaning back and crossing her arms rather squeakily due to the leather jacket she said more determined,  
  
"She won't be running it. I will never allow her to do it," standing up she walked over to the door, and before he had a chance to utter another word she had turned around and pierced him with a look of outmost determination.  
  
"She's not going, because I am."  
  
AN/: Don't stop. Keep reading!  
  
Oh and don't forget to review!  
  
TL  
  
)O( 


	4. Chapter three

Chapter 3  
  
Jareth stood behind the woman on the field, noticing her appearance for the first time. She wasn't tall, only five foot six, but had a posture that made one, if not mentally, look up to her in some way.  
  
Her long black hair was in a tight braid, and before they had switched worlds, she had changed her biker gear to a long red velvet jacket with a hood, loose fitting black shirt, tight bodice and jeans, a fringy Indian style bag slung across her chest and freaky biker boots.  
  
All in black. Her style was, a way, very much alike his, and along with the Egyptian styled makeup she looked more like an elf than human.  
  
Her skin tone was pale, almost porcelain, something that again gave the impression of looking at a mask when she showed no emotions whatsoever, if it hadn't been for the animated dark blue eyes with sprays of gold, and full red lips.  
  
"Are you certain you wish to go through with this?" he asked her when she for a moment looked small and vulnerable. But the moment he had uttered the words her back straightened even more and gave him a slight glance over her shoulder.  
  
"What other choice do I have getting Lara back?"  
  
He sighed. Normally he had to play the hard, cruel king who liked to toy with his subjects.  
  
But not this time.  
  
Tiani had never had an mental image of him that he could play out after. It didn't actually matter either. He couldn't read anything from her mind. It was like an impenetrable wall around her.  
  
Closing in upon her from behind he felt the faint scent of roses from her.  
  
"You never said it was so beautiful." she suddenly whispered, unaware he was close enough to hear.  
  
"Who never said what?" he asked, startling her. Glancing at him from the corner of her eyes, he felt it was the wrong thing to ask.  
  
"We have wasted too much time. Let's begin."  
  
Nodding, the king walked over to the clock that had appeared, and started it with a flick of his wrist.  
  
"You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth, or you will have to face the consequences. I wish you the best of luck, as I hope you to make it,"  
  
And he faded away. 


	5. Chapter four

Chapter 4  
  
Tiani saw the king fade away, and felt a mix of emotions. But she was mostly glad to be rid of him trying to take a peek in her mind.  
  
"Better get on with it, Ti," she muttered and began the walk down the hill, towards the maze. It didn't take too long to reach it, and she soon heard a cracked voice counting;  
  
"78! 79! ooh a good one there! 90!! Yah ha, ha!" Rounding a corner she saw a short stubby man with white hair peeking out from underneath a old fashioned cap, and what seemed to be renaissance peasant clothes, running around spraying fairies.  
  
"Damn pest." he said and continued with his spraying before he felt being overlooked. Turning around to look at who it was he spotted Tiani leaning to a tree. Looking alarmingly alike the King in posture.  
  
"Oh. 's you." he mumbled at her. Raising an eyebrow she allowed herself a slight smirk.  
  
"As if you know who I am, dwarf." She replied sourly.  
  
"'Course I knows who you are. You're the girl who wished her baby brother or sister away." he replied between sprays. "And now you're going to try beating the Labyrinth," the dwarf laughed its cracked high pitch laughter which made Tiani think of a badly oiled door hinge, and found it equally annoying.  
  
"You are right in one out of your guesses, dwarf," he turned back to look at her, "I am going to run the Labyrinth," she paused, "But it will be of my own choice to spare my sister from the burden of it."  
  
She began walking over to him, unaware of how her rolling steps made it look like she was slowly gliding over the ground. Stopping a couple of feet away from the short man, she assumed a posture and voice that was frightfully alike the kings.  
  
"And what I would like to ask you is whether you know how I will get into the Labyrinth."  
  
"Stop calling me Dwarf!" he growled, "My name is Hoggle!" he practically yelled at her.  
  
Hunching down, and taking him totally off guard she kneeled down and gave him her hand and a dazzling smile in greeting.  
  
"Pleased to meet you Hoggle. I'm Tiani." He took it unsure of what would happen next. Standing up again she straightened out the bodice, "But as I said before: do you know how to enter the Labyrinth?" Hoggle nodded and pointed at a seemingly solid wall.  
  
"You gets in there." and a large gate cracked open.  
  
Thanking him, she began walking towards the gate. But before entering, she found a thin silver chain from her bag, and tossed it to Hoggle.  
  
"Hey, what am I s'posed to do with this!?" he yelled after her, holding the delicate chain between his clumsy fingers.  
  
"Keep it!" she called back and disappeared, "I won't be needing it any more." the stone walls heard her say in a low voice.  
  
~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~  
  
Outside Hoggle looked at the silver chain and its blue tear shaped stone pendant-  
  
"What have you got there Hoggle?" a voice said behind him.  
  
"The dark lady gave it to me." he said in a grim voice, as if the beautiful gift was a bad omen in itself.  
  
Asking to see it, Jareth took it between slender gloved fingers, and saw the instant he saw the dazzling pendant that it was an extremely rare piece of jewellery. Touching the stone, he felt a slight electric current through his gloves, and realised it indeed was something important. Only he could remember what. . .  
  
"She tells me to keep it," the dwarf said, feeling he had to explain it to the king.  
  
"Then you shall do so, Hoggle," Jareths voice was anything like the harsh, arrogant one he usually had while addressing his subjects. Though handing the piece of jewellery back, Jareth still was uncertain whether it was a good idea to let a dwarf walk around with a magical implement.  
  
"Go and see where she went. I'll be in my chamber."  
  
Hoggle nodded, silently wondering why the king hadn't mentioned the Bog yet. That was the normal procedure: he threatened with the Bog at least once every conversation they had, but not now. Not that he minded it. It was actually a bit of a relief not needing to wonder whether he was going to end up head first, or last into the Bog any moment during the day. What was so different now? He had no idea, and was in a strange way determined to figure why.  
  
Reaching the still open gate, he was met by a sight no one in the Labyrinth had expected or wanted to see ever again.  
  
The third path was open! 


	6. Chapter five

Chapter 5  
  
Inside the circular chamber, the normally rowdy bunch of goblins muttered quietly amongst them selves, shifting with unease.  
  
Normally during an abduction the child in question would be crying its head off by now, terrified with the creatures around it.  
  
But this little girl had only looked at them with obvious curiosity to begin with, but when they only scurried away from every attempt to get any form of contact with them, she had shrugged and fallen asleep on the throne.  
  
This was how Jareth found them. Little Lara lying fast asleep on his throne, while the oldest and largest goblin Gànak shouted at the rest who were cowering by the door.  
  
"What are you scared of you stupid brats!?" he launched out, well aware he was the only one of the crude goblins who looked somewhat human, and had an intelligence to match his sires.  
  
"She's just asleep! What's the harm in that!?" he stood in front of the throne, and yelled at them with obvious wonder.  
  
"she no yell, no cry," said one of the goblins in the front who was called Shunter.  
  
"She be a wicked," joined his friend in.  
  
Jareth recognised that voice as Sulpik, and stifled a groan. That one had been the cause to much trouble in the short time he had been there. He had probably lured Shunter along in one way or the other, not that he would be surprised. Poor Shunter was a timid being, and actually rather clever, if the others only would let the poor thing be from time to time.  
  
"And why is that, Sulpik?" Jareth bellowed, taking everyone but Gànak by surprise. Lara just shifted to a better position and slept on.  
  
"You-your highness. . ." the goblin stuttered, "We did no see you."  
  
"No you wouldn't now would you. . ." he said in a sarcastic tone. Walking over to the throne he turned around and sent them his best glare.  
  
"Well! I asked you a question." His voice cracked like a whip, and the goblin spoken to winced just as one had struck him.  
  
"Well. . . yes. . . eh. . ." the king enjoyed the terrified look on creatures features. ". . . you see. . . she no cry commin' here. Only looks at us an'. . . giggle. . ." it pressed out, trying to mouth the excuse in his mind. Jareth only raised an eyebrow as it continued, "an then it goes to your high place and snooze. . ."  
  
"I see," Jareth cut off, "And how exactly did you com the conclusion that little Lara here is an evil being?" he inquired though he already knew the answer.  
  
"Is it because she didn't cry at the sight of you? Maybe she has seen things worse, or then she just isn't afraid of you. Can that be the reason she's not afraid of you. . .?" letting the words sink in among the goblins, he saw that it was only Shunter who looked embarrassed over what they had been doing.  
  
'Yes that one will probably get to be very much like Gànak if only stimulated. . . I better see to that some time soon. . .'  
  
he continued then in a harsher tone.  
  
"Could that be the reason, Sulpik? Or do you fear her for being much wiser than what you are, since she'd rather sleep on a softer, warmer and cleaner place than the pit in the floor?"  
  
turning around so his cape billowed, he got to the throne, picked the child up as gently as possible, and sat down, placing her as comfortably as possible on his lap.  
  
"Gànak. What should we do with our. . . dear friend?" he emphasised the word "dear" and laced it with acid. He was getting really sick of Sulpik, and wanted to give him a punishment that sent him away for some time. "Not the Bog. That would be cruel."  
  
"It certainly would, sire." Gànak agreed.  
  
"Perhaps sending him gardening?" Jareth asked, turning his attention towards Lara who had opened her bright green eyes, and smiled to him.  
  
The old goblin smiled inside at the sight of the king playing with the child on his lap.  
  
"If you don't mind, your highness. but I believe I have a better suggestion." he looked at his king who looked back at him with a wry smile. He was well aware Gànak could figure out the most amusing, and or practical punishments so far.  
  
"Go on." he urged his friend.  
  
"Well. since the High Court is coming for a visit in three months, I suggest that Sulpik here could go through the Labyrinth and. well clean it."  
  
The both of them felt the strain in their face muscles at the sight of the goblin in question, and the expression he had on his face. The rest of the goblins had a look of relief and disgust at the thought. Goblins hated to tidy, and had something like a phobic relationship to soap.  
  
"You know. Clearing and scrubbing the paths along with the doors, gargoyles and statues. all in all; a good old fashioned cleaning. . ." the goblin continued with a thoughtful voice, and a glint in his eyes.  
  
Jareth pretended to give the idea some serious consideration, and brushed off some invisible dust from Laras shoulder and picking some none existent straw from her hair, he nodded slowly. He had already decided what to do, the moment he had seen Sulpiks face. Producing a crystal he prepared to throw it at him, but stopped.  
  
"Gànak. . . wouldn't it be awfully lonely doing that work?" looking down at the perfect orb he continued, "Shouldn't we sent someone along with him?"  
  
Lara had taken the crystal and seemed to be mesmerised with it,  
  
"Perhaps those who fetched this girl who wasn't to be gotten. . ." no sooner had his words left his mouth and five other goblins had been pushed forward along with Sulpik. The rest of them didn't want any punishment, and Jareth was glad to see that Shunter wasn't one of the five.  
  
"Aah. so these are the culprits." he took a grab for the orb in the childs hands, but she pullet it away with the words;  
  
"Noo. lem'me!" Jareth blinked at the request.  
  
"You do understand what this is all about?"  
  
Nodding vigorously the girl just smiled and gave her rolling laughter.  
  
"Uh-huh. you're gonna punish those 'cause they're bad. The ball makes them do chores that is their punishment."  
  
She stopped to check if it had come out somewhat correctly. Finding the mental spell check being somewhat ok she nodded to herself and looked back up at the kings face.  
  
"And you want to be the one punishing them?" he asked with raised eyebrows only to be met by a broad grin.  
  
"You had to ask?" came the low amused voice of his friend.  
  
"Alright then. You just make sure you throw it straight at the ground in the pit. . ."  
  
grabbing the orb with both hands, and raising them high above her head, Lara threw it with as much force as she could muster into the pit where the six culprits stood huddled.  
  
As the glass broke, they were enveloped in a small storm of light and glittery dust. The next moment the glitter was blown out through the window, and the spot they had been standing on was now empty.  
  
~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨~¨  
  
At the beginning of the Labyrinth six goblins, all dressed in frilly floral aprons with loads of pockets stuffed with cleaning supplies, and three wagons filled with even more cleaning supply, along with a huge bucket of clean soapy water (which never got dirty), a garbage bag (which never got filled, but spat out things that weren't rubbish i.e. other living creatures and so on.), and a mop and a broom in their sizes.  
  
They stood there really bewildered over their outfits and jumped really high as someone said;  
  
"Oh. You have GOT to be kidding me!" The voice came from the closed door behind them and then they saw the eyes looking down at them.  
  
"And what on, above and below earth are you supposed to be then.?" the old gateway said gloomily.  
  
----------------------------------------------------'  
  
AN/: Well. firstly I would like to thank Labyris to notify me about the shitty layout on the first posting. For you who didn't get it now, this is the second and somewhat improved one.  
  
Yes, there will be more in the times to come. But you will be having to bear with me. I do't have an internet connection at my flat in Bergen, so I'll either have to use the one available while babysitting this abnoxious little brat, who luckily sleeps tight when I'm there. Or to travel home to my parents' house, and go on the net there. But since I forgot the power and internet cable in Bergen I can't do too much before the battery ends. So again: Bear with me. . .  
  
Read and review, As I like to do the same to you. . .  
  
TL  
  
)O( 


	7. Chapter six

Chapter 6  
  
The actual choice of paths had been easy enough. She had just walked the way she had felt the strongest attraction to. Though it was the dark energy hovering over the gloomy, and grave like road that pulled her soul.  
  
Glancing down the dark stones, dead rose bushes and skeletal trees, Tiani fished out her pack of cigarettes from the leg of her boot, and by the time it had reached her lips it was already aglow. Blowing out the smoke, the eventual observer would see that it became more compact, adapted a silvery sheen, and got the shape of a small serpent like dragon (AN: Think of the Chinese one, but with a European head). Inhaling once more, the small creature settled on her shoulder, before they both wandered on.  
  
Although the whole place was filled with a dreary gloom that seemed to suck the sap out of any thing living, Tiani walked on in her own flowing pace, eyes firmly on the castle up affront. She ignored the cold, gleaming eyes that shone out between the dark crevices. She walked past the mangled bodies and clawed hands that reached out for her like a dead soul reaching for a light they couldn't capture. For she was like that in their eyes: A shining beacon in a sea of nothing. She was an angel wandering in the wastelands of demons aware, but still ignorant to their presence..  
  
As the deformed hands grasped for the hem of her coat, only to find it snatched away by an nonexistent breeze, they felt an need to follow this new person. They didn't really know why, but it felt important. Like she would be the saviour from an existence that had been there for a longer time than what they could remember. So slowly a shadow of peering eyes began gathering in her wake.  
  
If she noticed what was going on behind her back, she didn't show. She only continued to suck on her cigarette, and gave the smoke to the creature floating in the air around her.  
  
'Mistress.' a misty voice called in the back of her mind. She didn't acknowledge the presence in any way in her posture, nor did she falter a step.  
  
'Vaer,' was all her mind echoed. The only sign of a reply, 'are they still following us?'  
  
The serpent like dragon had grown considerably after being fed from his mistress's breath mingled with the smoke. It had begun as the size of a small adder, but had gained the body of an anaconda, and blinked with its glowing ember eyes.  
  
'You know they have since you created me mistress,' the dragon swirled around her to ward off those who got too close. Snapping at their hungry hands.  
  
'Stop that Vaer. You know they mean no harm. They are only curious of what is happening.'  
  
The voice in the dragons mind wasn't harsh, nor was it scolding in any way. But the creature came back to the side of its mistress.  
  
'I beg of forgiveness my creator, but if not for protection, why did you make me? Why give me a body of my own, if I can not use it for your protection?' the dragon asked, concerned eyes glancing over at his mistress, uncertain of why it had been brought to existence.  
  
Glancing over at the worried creature by her side, Tiani couldn't help but to smile.  
  
'I didn't bring you here, sweet Vaer. The smoke I exhaled gathered into you by a will of its own.' The smile faded as she resumed staring at the castle, which seemed to be farther away than ever, yet she hadn't turned a corner or anything. 'Though I am glad that you are here my friend. If not for protection, then for the company..'  
  
Her thoughts were cur short as her eyes spotted a small figure in front of her. It was larger than the dwarf, Hoggle, and reached her slightly above the hip. It would have gone unnoticed as a part of the stone if it hadn't been moving, because of the clothes it wore.  
  
As the creature got closer Tiani and Vaer could see that it was an old man. Not the typical old, but ancient, and he radiated of something unexplainable.  
  
"Well. what have we here.." The man began, as he somehow had gotten right in front of her. "Ah. I see you have gotten far enough. But I believe you might have to take a little detour before you can get to the castle in itself." The man smiled apologetically, as if he was the one to blame for the extra way, and continued on his way down the path she had been walking.  
  
Looking with some minor bewilderment after the small man as he disappeared in to the shadows once again, Tiani looked at the dragon on her side and shrugged before continuing on her way. But what she didn't notice was that Vaer lingered behind and looked intently at the place where the man was supposed to be. Only there was none. It was as if the walls had swallowed him. Giving an involuntarily shudder the dragon floated on to his mistresses side.  
  
~  
  
Back in the beginning of the Labyrinth Hoggle had recovered from the shock of finding the dark path open. He had begun pacing around in front of the main gate, unaware of the appearing eyes in the dead stones and the movements of the gargoyles. Even the malicious fairies had settled down and observed him with interest. Staring off to nowhere, Hoggle found himself standing in the doorway facing the golden fields outside.  
  
"I have to warn the king.." Was all he said from time to time in a grave voice, but still not doing anything else than walking in circles.  
  
Suddenly he heard a shuffling sound from behind him. Blinking a couple of times he noticed only now where he was standing, and turned around to face the dark path.  
  
"Who.. who are you!?" he called out to the shadows "I.. I expect the King to come any minute now, so you'd better not do any harm!" Hoggle knew that his voice didn't have the power and authority he had wanted it to have, but sounded instead small and frightened.  
  
"There is no need for such a things old friend," the voice was old and cracked, and reminded more of old wood than of anything the dwarf had heard so far. Backing up towards the stonewall Hoggle raised his hand to his chest, still clutching the pendant he had gotten from the dark lady.  
  
"Who are you?" though spoken lowly, the question still echoed uncomfortably in between the stonewalls.  
  
"But Hoggle.. Don't you recognise your old friend?" A shadow had detached from the mass and was walking on old legs towards the dwarf. As the shape entered the light Hoggle saw it to be an old man, taller than him, but still shorter than an average man, dressed in old fashioned clothing. Closing in on him he saw a kind smile on the dry lips and a friendly glint in those deep grey eyes. "I'm the one you have guarded and taken care for in such a long time. I'm the Labyrinth.." 


End file.
